HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Williams, W. A. Articles by Nunez A., F Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Williams, W. A. Articles by Nunez A., F Agricola Articles by Williams, W. A. Articles by Nunez A., F

Canopy Architecture at Various Population Densities and the Growth and Grain Yield of Corn²

Parameters of canopy architecture were related to light interception and productivity using data from a field experiment with corn grown at population densities from 17,500 to 125,000 plants per hectare. With nutrients and soil moisture nonlimiting, the amount of solar radiation intercepted by the foliage canopy was a major determinant of crop growth during the vegetative stage. Leaf arrangements with a preponderance of erect leaves, occurring just before the tassels emerged, allowed the deepest penetration of light into the foliage canopy and gave the highest crop growth rates. Computer simulation of photosynthetic production using the measured foliage display characteristics closely approximated measured rates of growth before anthesis. The yield of grain correlated well with crop growth rates up to an optimum population density, but then became negatively associated with density as further increases in the numbers of growing pouits apparently placed too great a demand on the community's metabolite-producing ability.

Key Words: sunlight • radiation • leaf area index • simulation

² Professor and Associate Professor, University of California, Davis, Professor, University of Kentucky, Senior Lecturer, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel, and former Graduate Student. The authors wish to acknowledge support of the National Science Foundation (grant GB4192 to Williams and Loomis).

Received for publication November 10, 1967.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Sarlangue, F. H. Andrade, P. A. Calvino, and L. C. Purcell Why Do Maize Hybrids Respond Differently to Variations in Plant Density? Agron. J., June 5, 2007; 99(4): 984 - 991. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. H. Andrade and P. E. Abbate Response of Maize and Soybean to Variability in Stand Uniformity Agron. J., July 13, 2005; 97(4): 1263 - 1269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Foroutan-pour, P. Dutilleul, and D. L. Smith Inclusion of the Fractal Dimension of Leafless Plant Structure in the Beer-Lambert Law Agron. J., March 1, 2001; 93(2): 333 - 338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]